The Impact of Incorporating Reforestation into the Built Environment on Biodiversity Recovery

Abstract

Efforts to stimulate nature-inclusive development into human infrastructure may alleviate some of the pressures of urbanization on faunal communities. Yet, the study of biodiversity restoration in the built environment is rather limited in Africa. We present a case study on the development of a biodiversity-rich greenspace at the Ellen DeGeneres Campus of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund, Rwanda. Using native plants found in neighboring Volcanoes National Park (VNP), this greenspace was created to provide habitat for biodiversity and to meet educational, engagement, and research objectives. Using data from 2021–2023, we assessed the restoration trajectory of this project. We found 1) an increase in bird species richness and abundance as the project progressed, and 2) varied temporal trends in pollinator visitation rates but an overall stable presence of various types (e.g., orders) of pollinators throughout study period. We show that purpose-driven inclusion of native plants in designed landscapes may enrich local biodiversity and serve as a model for biodiversity conservation in human-dominated landscapes across Africa.